When I Knew You
by Ephemeral Dream
Summary: There's more magic in the world than just that of the Senshi's powers. Usagi might have even known of that already. Before she ever awoke to her senshi powers, the girl we know as Tsukino Usagi was once part of the Sohma family.
1. Chapter 1

Wow, I read a SM/FB fanfic and felt sudden inspiration to write one too. I never thought it could work, but if you think about it, why not? I probably never thought it could work because I never thought about it. Well, more soon. I'm so ready to go with this fic.--

PROLOUGE:

"You have twins, Miss Sohma."

Despite the pain of labor she had just undergone, the woman smiled an eager smile. Both the Cat and the Rat of the Sohma family had recently died. With only her and one other woman giving birth in the family, she was likely to be the mother of the next Rat of the powerful Sohma family. Given the current Head of the House, Akito, and his attachment to the previous Rat, she would surely receive more money than bearing the Snake had given her, which was saying a lot. However, had one of her children been the Cat the instead…impossible. Well, she couldn't have both, that was for sure, the hatred between cat and mouse went deep enough to ensure that she couldn't have both. Additionally, she had already bore the Snake, it would be impossible for her next child to be the Cat. The woman shuddered for a moment. If she were to bear the next Cat, her life would be an unpleasant one to say the least, for the Cat was the cursed one. However, if she were having twins, it definitely increased her chances of one of them being the Rat.

If the woman had been less involved in her own interests, she might have noticed how perfectly adorable the two children she had just brought into the world were. The twins had soft baby hair that was a creamy gray color, although the girl's hair had tints of silver that gleamed under the light.

The nurses of the best medical facility in Japan held the babies out to the woman. Disappointingly, one was a girl, meaning that if she were the Rat, there wasn't a way of knowing. While two babies were being handed to her, the woman only took the boy. He immediately transformed into a rat and the woman breathed a sigh of pleasure. The two nurses remained unsurprised. They were, after all, in the Sohma family, specifically trained for this situation and well provided for in return for their secrecy and topnotch medical performances.

"What should we do with the girl?"

If the girl had not transformed by now, she couldn't have been the Cat. A scream issued from the next room and confirmed this line of thought. The girl was normal, neither a hindrance, nor useful. Just normal.

The woman turned her attention to the baby boy, whispering into his ear, although making it clear that her voice was to be heard by the doctor.

"I'll name you Yuki, my dear, dear Rat."

"And the girl, Miss Sohma…" The doctor attempted again.

"I don't care." The woman said. Then she reconsidered what she had said. Twins were connected with a special bond. She would probably grow up close to Yuki. Two children who would work so close would be harder to take care of than one. "Get rid of her, kill her for all I care, but get rid of her. She's useless."

The nurse was not ready for this. She was a pretty young woman who had just gotten married and had, just the other day, been discussing children with her husband. She looked down at the girl and hesitated. She couldn't possibly kill this little child who had only just come into this world. Neither could she simply leave this child in some dumpster, which would be the same as killing her. She felt strangely attached to the small baby girl that blinked her eyes at the young woman and smiled an adorable baby smile.

The woman acted on impulse.

"Please, if you would, Miss. I'll take her." Ikuko Tsukino said, bowing her head low.

The new mother of the Rat rolled her eyes at the weakness of the nurse. Only idiots would willingly do something that was of no use to them.

"Take her, but I want her no where near my son."

END

Reviews please! I love those things to death:D--


	2. Chapter 2

Ahh! I'm so excited with this! Sorry just had to say this!

CHAPTER 1:

Six year old Tsukino Usagi exhaled into the cold winter air, enjoying the simple gift of nature that allowed her to see her own breathe. She was dressed in a warm jacket that was a very pretty blue, matching, but no where as pretty as, her eyes. The small girl was a little ball of excitement. She was going to the Sohma household for the renowned Sohma New Year's celebration that took place every year. While that was cause for excitement by itself, that was not what made the young girl so very happy. She giggled into her gloved hands. Today, she would be seeing her older brother.

Of course, he couldn't know that she was his younger twin sister or even who she was. Her mother had taken hours explaining this to Usagi, drilling Usagi constantly even on the car ride there. Usagi could watch the boy if she wanted to that badly – and she did. However, under no condition was Usagi to even say a word to the boy. She would be playing with all the normal children of the Sohma household.

Despite her youth, Usagi knew all about the secrets of the inner Sohma family. Her mother had never treated Usagi condescendingly, feeling very compassionate towards the child who had been abandoned by her own real mother. In addition to this, Ikuko felt that Usagi at the very least deserved to know of her brother. This required preparation though, and Usagi had been detailed about how both Usagi's and her brother Yuki's memories would be erased should anything happen between them.

Although this should have disheartened the young girl, (we all know that) Usagi had always been a cheerful girl. Usagi did not think about the fact that she would never be able to truly get to know her older brother, but instead thought about finally being able to see him. After all, the young Yuki had always been a little sickly, perhaps from being with Akito all the time. This would be his first appearance since birth outside the Jyuunishi and their select few other consorts.

The massive wooden doors opened to the festive scene that was the Sohma New Year celebration. Usagi gasped in delight. Her mother and father looked down happily at the young child. While biologically, Usagi wasn't the child of the Tsukinos, she had never been treated otherwise. Her mother glowed with happiness, because her daughter was such a perfect angel, because her daughter was finally able to see her older brother, because Ikuko Tsukino was pregnant and would be having a son herself soon. A son that could hopefully help Usagi get over her lack of a relationship with her real brother.

As Usagi ran through the entrance to the Sohma estate, her mother called out to her.

"Usagi, Mama is very tired," Ikuko shouted to her daughter, "Papa and I will go inside to rest. Play, but remember what I told you…"

The woman laughed to herself, for Usagi was already gone.

Usagi was running topspeed in an unconscious effort to wear down her anxiety. She didn't have to worry about Yuki, he wouldn't be outside until much later given his sickly condition. Knowing this, Usagi ran freely, but had to attempt a sudden turn as a figure about her size walked in front of her path and stopped there.

Too late.

Usagi bumped shoulders with the other child, crashing him into the snow, and causing both herself and the other child to tumble into the snow. It didn't hurt a bit, for the snow was still powdery and fresh. In fact, Usagi enjoyed the feeling so much she kept on rolling in the snow, laughter exploding from her, causing tears to leak from the corner of her eyes. Beside her, she heard a similar noise erupting from the person beside her. When it stopped, Usagi turned to her side and blinked her watery eyes to see a young boy with short orange hair. The child stood up and pretended to act serious, which, though he didn't know, would, of course, never work with Usagi.

"You," he said, addressing her in a gruff voice that he hoped would sound adult, "should say sorry for pushing me into the snow."

"I," giggled Usagi, in her best imitation of him, "am _very_ sorry for pushing you in the snow. I did not see you in time to stop myself from running into to you. But I think you might have had fun being pushed in the snow, seeing how you were laughing so hard, Mr. Grumpmeister."

He glared at her in what she thought of as cat-like eyes, but while this was intended to frighten her, it only caused an eruption of more giggles out of her. She extended a hand out to him in the friendly and cheerful manner that had always been her way.

"I'm Tsukino Usagi," Usagi introduced herself to the boy.

"Kyou," the boy answered her, "Sohma Kyou."

"Kyou-chan," Usagi shouted and grabbed his hand when he hesitated to take hers. She continued to shout his name in different forms and ways, even once in a sing-song manner. "…Kyon-Kyon, Kyo-o-o, Kyoko!"

When she noticed his angry stare, she stretched out a hand to ruffle his hair, and then proceeded to poke his ribs, when she noticed that he had no reaction.

The truth was, Kyou had no idea what to do. Besides his mother, no one had ever dared this close to him, especially a girl. He couldn't give her the chance to hug him, yet he couldn't let his first, and probably only, chance for a friend slip by. Other children had been told by their mothers to stay away from him and even the adults had all avoided him. Even Sohma's who knew nothing of the curse, refused contact with him, knowing without truly knowing, of his curse.

Usagi waved a hand in front of his eyes, then ran behind him and completely covered his eyes. Finally, Kyou arose from his thoughts only to find himself blinded. He flailed his arms, in an escape attempt, only to trip Usagi's feet. Usagi fell into a mound of powdered snow and became entrenched in it. She felt something furry on her chest and grabbing it, she dug her way out of the pile of snow, raising the creature to eye-level.

Kyou, growled in his cat form and looked away. He was in trouble now, for sure. He had been transformed. Fortunately, no one else had seen. Unfortunately, he was trapped in Usagi's hands, unable to move or escape her wide-eyed gaze. He could feel her observing him with the scrutinous eye he had become so used to over time. He looked away and growled. Her memories would be erased; he would be put in even further isolation. His poor mother, he thought. Poor Usagi, he realized, she would probably also be expelled from the house. And having your memories erased was not a pleasant New Year's gift.

"I'm sorry Usagi-chan."

"Wow, I've never seen one of the Jyuunishi before!" Usagi exclaimed gleefully. "And you called me Usagi-chan, does that mean we're friends?"

He looked at her incredulously and began to laugh disbelievingly. He laughed loud and long, and even when he transformed back and was naked in the cold snow, he laughed. He laughed as Usagi turned around, blushingly, to give him privacy. He just laughed and hugged her, transforming himself again. (They're innocent little kids, so get whatever naughty thoughts you have out of your head!)

END

Remember, I love reviews! Really, tell me what you think of this. I'm very interested.


	3. Chapter 3

SUPER BONUS CHAPTER! Yes, I thought this was kinda shorter than the rest of my chapters, though those aren't that long either. So, yes, an early post! In return, how about reading "The Worth of Life" for me? I got zero reviews for that! It would be nice to get some commentary.

Hmm…I've gotten some "make it longer" stuff for all my things. Sorry, but I write every chapter all at once, and wherever I stop seems like such a good place to stop to me, so… that's where I stop! But hey, I try to update like…every week or so, so that kinda makes up for it right?

I read a comment saying that Kyo is a little OOC. That makes me really sad if people feel that way. I put a lot of effort into trying to make the characters keep in character and events seem realistic (this varies to some degree depending on what type of world we're in, of course). Please do keep in mind that Kyo is only six at this point, I plan for him to become more Kyo-ish as he gets older.

I had another comment saying that the Jyuunishi don't transform if hugged by other Sohma's. Yes, they do. The Jyuunishi don't transform when hugged by other Jyuunishi. (This is said by Kagura early on and Momiji clarifies later on with his whole "imagine how a mother would feel when she holds her baby and he transforms into an animal" thing. Dunno quite where these are, but I'm sure you can find them.)

Ready? OKAY!

START:

"It's starting," Kyo mumbled, looking on to the parade that all the Sohmas had crowded together to watch.

"Are these the Jyuunishi? Why aren't you there, Kyo?" Usagi questioned, holding onto Kyo's sleeve as he bulldozed a path for both him and her through countless family members.

"The Cat's not part of the party, he got tricked by the Rat," the second part was said almost in a whisper and Usagi winced.

She had forgotten that the story her mother had told her. In her innocence, Usagi never realized that the Jyuunishi excluded the Cat, and even after learning that fact, she would have never guessed the weight of solitude the Cat was burdened with. But she could tell from his tone, that he blamed her brother, Yuki. She decided not to tell Kyo about her relations to the Jyuunishi.

Being small, Kyo and Usagi were able to push their way to the front of the crowd to watch the procession of the Jyuunishi. Half the people there had no idea what they were witnessing, only knowing that the children they were watching walk to the center house of the estate were somehow special to the family. It was obvious that those chosen thirteen were special, not just by their expensive, traditional attire, but by the radiance each of them seemed to give out, even though they were all children, two of them still babies carried by their fellow Jyuunishi. Usagi, however, held a unique aura of her own and was not at all fazed by the procession. The only thing worth noticing, to her, was her brother.

And there he was, walking near the front, at the side of none other than Akito, the Head of all Sohmas there, despite his youth. Usagi shivered from unknown fear when she looked at Akito, and tried to focus on her brother instead. Usagi and Yuki had grown out of their resemblance of each other. While Usagi's hair had lightened over the years, to the point of becoming blonde (It really does happen! I've SEEN it!), Yuki's hair had retained its pale and creamy gray color. Additionally, Usagi's even bangs of her haircut, maintained by her doting mother, were unlike her bother's hair, which had had bangs framing his face, one side longer than the other, seeming to match Akito's haircut. Usagi was surprised to find that, although they were twins, the two siblings looked only faintly alike. She looked no more like Yuki than any of her cousins did.

Still, she felt a connection with Yuki that she knew was something she would only ever share with him. He felt it too, despite her being hidden among all his other relatives. He didn't even notice the Cat next to her. When their eyes locked, Yuki saw recognition in the girl's eyes. She knew him, and he somehow felt he knew her also. His gaze lingered on her as he walked, but Akito soon barked at him to pay attention. He promised himself to look for her later.

"What was that?" Kyo grunted the questioning sarcastically. He continued when Usagi's response was simply to cock her head to one side. Kyo began to feel betrayed. "Yuki looked at you funny, didn't he? You guys don't KNOW each other, do you?"

"We don't KNOW each other," Usagi said, yet again imitating Kyo's tone so that he wouldn't catch on to her almost-but-not-quite lie. "We are all family, though, Kyo, he might have seen me around."

To put the uncomfortable topic to rest, Usagi walked away from the crowd, to the open snow where she and Kyo had just been playing before going to the Jyuunishi parade. Feeling guilty of his accusation, Kyo

Suddenly, she had an idea. Usagi turned around with a bright smile on her face; her eyes sparkled with excitement as she flashed a grin. Kyo raised an eyebrow in question, but before he could say anything, she grabbed his hand and ran off to one of the food houses. She grabbed snacks and anything else edible and portable, handing much of it over to Kyo. Then, the small girl took off once more, despite the bundle of food blocking much of her vision.

When Kyo finally caught up, he found that she had already set her share of the food down on the ground and managed to obtain some tea. The two children were in a secluded circle between bushes and other greenery. It was as if they were inside a mini house with green walls and a pure white, soft snow carpet. Kyo put down his food in a pile, and Usagi began to neatly arrange it on the sides of the circle.

"What are we doing?" Kyo asked, squatting down with his face close to Usagi's.

Kyo was still breathing hard from the run and his warm breath tickled Usagi's nose. She wrinkled it and laughed before answering.

"We," she declared, "Will have our own New Year's party."

Kyo's eyes widened and he spoke in surprised voice, "But the Cat, the Cat, he can't go to the party."

"Well, he can't here," Usagi whispered, leaning in, as if her words were confidential, "But you see our party will be on the Moon!"

She leapt back with delight at her own idea and continued.

"You see, on the moon, there is a different god. In fact, it's a goddess, a princess, in fact. And do you know who she is?"

Kyo listened wide-eyed and shook his head "no" to her question.

"Me!" Usagi exclaimed, and continued to explain after seeing Kyo's confused expression, "It's not real, of course, I dreamed it up. I always dream about it, really…In my dreams, I'm a princess on the moon. It jumps around a lot, sometimes I'm old, or sometimes I'm my age now! And…"

Kyo listened to her story about dreams and princesses on the moon, and though it would have sounded strange from anyone else's mouth, listening to her, Kyo truly believed what she was saying and it wasn't just his young age. After she finished, he asked her questions about it. Sometimes she could answer, and sometimes she would blush and say she didn't know the answer to his question. They ate all their food fairly quickly (Usagi ate most of it), but they stayed in that place for a long time afterward.

For once in his life, Kyo felt like it didn't matter at all. That he was cursed. That he was excluded. Because none of that seemed to be true when he was with Usagi.

END

IMPORTANT: I have a few questions that I need answered before I write more. (may SPOIL for some)

1. What age was Kyo when his mother committed suicide? (Please say not before six.)

2. Then, when did Shishou (sp?) adopt him? Immediately after?

3. Does anybody know about Kyo's first encounter with Yuki? Was it when they were young? Or after they began to live with Shigure?

4. I also heard somewhere that Akito told Kyo that if he could beat Yuki in a fight, he'd have a place in the Jyuunishi. Is that true? If so, is that when the conflict with Kyo and Yuki begins? Or is it earlier?

If someone knows, that's great. If no one knows, it means I've got the okay to make up answers to these questions, which is really why I like writing sometimes. :P

I probably should have mentioned this before, but I planned from the very beginning for this to be a sad story (I hope I don't spoil anything by saying that). Usually, I don't plan out too much before writing something (as is the case with New Mystery), so I might change the ending. But if you can't take sadness and get too depressed, you might wanna stop now. :P

Also, I found a mistake in my prologue, but so far, no one has caught. Well, it's technically not a mistake, but something that seems a bit improbable. I didn't catch it before because of a fanfic I read earlier. Haha, sometimes I mix up the fanwork with the real work. Hopefully no one will notice.

As always, REVIEW! Good reviews make my sad little world go round if you can believe it. And although it may seem petty to be such a hog for reviews, it's not that hard to write something nice. But remember, if you got nothing good to say, please don't say anything at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry, sorry, believe me, this fic isn't dead.

Mini-update, not much, but better than nothing, right? It just felt right to end the chapter here, even though it's short.

Also, haha, so I updated myself on the FB manga, and so I guess I didn't really need those answers to the questions I asked in the previous chapter. Sorry if I bothered you.

Also, this isn't edited yet, that will come later when I'm not a lazy butt. (By the way, I'm looking for a beta for this fic, anyone interested?)

START

Yuki waited until Akito had fallen asleep before moving for the first time in hours. Quietly, he stood up, taking one last look around the room to check that all his cousins were asleep. The Jyuunishi had danced all night long before sleep had taken them over, and it was only now, in the hollow silence of the morning, that Yuki was free to move around. He didn't quite know why he was moving at all, but somehow he knew he had to move. Perhaps it was only for a momentary sense of freedom. Perhaps, it was simply that he'd sat by Akito's side for too long and needed a stretch. And…

Perhaps, it was her.

Her.

That blonde girl. With the odd twin buns and streamers hairstyle. With those clear, piercing blue eyes. And the way she looked at him. Along with that sense she gave him The one that tugged deep into his heart.

He doubted he could find her. The Sohma estate was huge, but he wanted to try.

Suddenly, the familiar burning itch built in Yuki's throat and a cough threatened to burst out of him. Hurriedly, Yuki padded quickly out of the room that was reserved solely for Jyuunishi festivities. Soft coughs escaped his lips, but he muffled their sound with the sleeve of his luxurious New Year's kimono. He ran carefully down the hall until he reached the front door of the Jyuunishi house. In a painfully slow manner, Yuki gently opened the door, moved outside, and shut it. Then, Yuki pulled the sleeve away from his lips, and the cough exploded as he fell to his knees in the soft snow.

The cough tore at Yuki's throat, tears welled in his eyes, and the snow bit at his fingers. It hurt – it always did, but Yuki fought the pain, forcing the cough into deep and haggard breathes. Control it, he thought, remembering the short advice Hatori, who was studying to be a doctor, had given him. It was done. Yuki stood and began to trudge through the snow, partially noting the inappropriateness of his raiment in the search of his mystery girl. But it wasn't like he could change into any other clothes.

As Yuki wandered in the cold winter snow, his mind drifted once more. He thought vaguely that, perhaps, it would have been better had he asked someone to accompany him. However, none of the other Jyuunishi seemed to like him. As Akito's shadow, within the Sohma household, Yuki was pretty much ignored, though it might have been that Akito willed the situation to be so. Still, even Ayame…Yuki shook his head, hoping to forget the pain of his elder brother's hatred towards him.

Then, the itch welled once more in his throat, and for once, Yuki was glad for the distraction that his bronchitis gave him. Yuki's whole body shook with the force of the cough, which had probably been worsened by the cold. It burned more this time – it scratched – it rolled around like a ball of thorns, tearing at the raw inside of his throat. Tears managed to push over Yuki's eyelids this time, and they rolled down his reddened cheeks. His small frame fell to the ground. His chest hurt with the effort of each contraction of each cough. And still it would not stop. It had been a stupid idea, he realized, coming out here alone in the hopes of finding a girl he didn't even know. He wanted to go back now, but he couldn't shake the erratic cough off. He wanted to scream for help, but found himself lacking breathe.

Yuki rolled his head. There had to be someone.

He heard a sound to his right. Then, his blurred vision caught the figure of a person, no, a child. Yuki stretched a hand out to the person, clawing at the air with desperate fingers. The figure turned and ran, and Yuki frantically hoped that the person had gone for help.

And still the cough increased, taking control of his whole being. He had a headache now too, along with sore stomach muscles. It was so cold too, and the beautiful world of white made it so that his body burned as much outside as it did inside. Stupid, stupid, stupid. His mind filled with the burning pain.

Suddenly, Yuki was lifted from the cold. Yuki realized that a large arm of a strong man was carrying him. He fervently buried his head into the warmth of the man's chest, and he could feel the person's hand rubbing his back in a soothing manner. Slowly the cough began to fade and he regained his breath.

"It's okay, Yuki, it's okay," came a cooing feminine voice.

The vestige of pain still held his body, but more than anything now, Yuki felt tired.

"Onii-chan…" came a higher pitched tone. It was a sweet, rippling voice, one of a child.

Was someone crying for him? Yuki wondered. No, it couldn't be so, he concluded before drifting into a state of unconsciousness.

END

Review? Pleeeeaaaaaase.


	5. Chapter 5

Yeah! AP exams are done. I'm so happy, I'll give you an update!

Yuki awoke groggily to weeping. As he blinked drowsy eyes open, he slowly turned his head to take in his surroundings. His eyes widened at surprise with what he found.

The blonde girl with the twin buns and streamers – the one he'd been looking for! – was sitting right there next to him. His hand reached out to her of his own accord, and as soon as she registered the movement, she caught the hand in her own.

And that was it.

A connection. A feeling. _Something._

"Yuki," she whimpered through teary eyes, "You…"

Yuki liked the way she said his name. Other people always seemed to use his name coldly, but when she said his name there was a sweet tenderness in it. As he focused on her voice, recognized the voice as the same one he heard before he passed out. The one that had called him…

No , it couldn't be, Yuki dismissed.

The girl began drying her eyes with the back of her tiny hands. Still, when she looked at him, her eyes were teary and her smile was broken. She giggled, but it seemed forced and nervous.

"My name is Usagi."

Yuki decided that he liked her name. It was cute and matched her very well.

"You're going to be okay, Yuki," Usagi babbled.

He weakly tried to lift his head, but dismissed the effort quickly, and blinked drowsy eyes lethargically. A comforting hand pressed against his forehead, and the comparative coolness eased his pounding headache somewhat.

"Oh no," She whispered, and it seemed she was talking to herself now. "I didn't think you were so sick. If I knew, I would have…I don't know. You've been suffering this whole time, and I…Oh no…"

Yuki wondered if Usagi even knew that she was still talking. But an even more curious thing was her obvious concern for him. Then, suddenly, as if suddenly remembering that Yuki was there, Usagi locked her eyes with Yuki's.

"We're at Kazuma-san's house," Usagi stated, "He agreed to say he found you outside, because, well, since I'm not supposed to see you, I can't say that I found you."

Yuki blinked at this.

"Because no one can know."

She was restating herself. She was unsure. He was confused.

"Why?"

As Yuki asked her this question, he began to take in the room. It was a pretty bare room, with the only furniture being the futon he was currently resting on, and the only people being Usagi and himself.

"You know, regular Sohmas…" Usagi answered, "We're not supposed to know about the curse and –"

"The how do you?" Yuki cut in, "I don't recall saying anything."

Usagi realized she'd been caught and blushed. She'd never been much of a liar, but she fervently hoped she wouldn't get caught now. She tried to retain a calm composure as her mind searched for a way out the predicament.

"Well, you transform into the rat after we got you here," Usagi looked down as she lied, hoping to hide her burning cheeks, "After that, Kazuma-san told us everything."

"You wouldn't take me to Kazuma-san if you didn't already know about the curse," Yuki countered.

He looked at her, not with a mean expression, but with a curious one.

"Who are you?"

"Sohma Usagi," Usagi answered indignantly.

"No, really…" Yuki spoke softly, "Who are you?"

He pulled himself up and propped his weight onto his elbows. His held tilted sideways as he offered her an inquisitive gaze. For her part, Usagi looked up briefly to meet his eyes, before quickly casting her gaze downward once more.

"I can't tell you."

Yuki thought back to before he passed out. He'd dismissed the thought before, but now…

"Are you my sister?"

Usagi's whole frame stiffened at the innocent question. She couldn't tell. She couldn't tell. She'd promised. Many times. She's get in trouble. Yuki would get in trouble. Akito would be very angry. No. Akito couldn't get angry. But she couldn't lie. Not in the face of such a piercing gaze. Not to him. Her brother. Her twin.

He head moved ever so slightly, as if still unsure, before shifting into a nod. Her cheeks were still bright red, but she decided, now that she'd told Yuki the truth, she'd tell him the whole truth.

"I'm your younger twin sister."

Yuki's eyes widened in surprise. He fumbled for words. What could he say to such a confession? And, he didn't even believe he'd heard it.

"Say it again."

Now Usagi was surprised.

"Ehh?"

"Say it. Say it again."

Yuki's eyes were desperate. This girl was his sister. This girl, who – although he'd only met her that night, and only first talked to her in the last ten minutes – seemed caring and sweet and cute and everything he could hope for, was his sister.

"I'm your twin sister."

"Do you love me, then?" The words escaped Yuki's lips, and a blush matching Usagi's grew on his face. Usagi, too, was surprised at his response to her news, but as always, she answered openly.

"Well," Usagi responded, "Of course, I do."

She smiled to herself and began speaking softly, as if she almost didn't want him to hear.

"I've always known about you, Yuki. You're so cute, and even though we look nothing alike, I knew that you were my onii-chan instantly…"

Yuki blinked as everything connected together in his mind.

"Really?" Was that what he felt when he saw her then, too?

Usagi nodded, "Because there's something special about us – about you."

There was no thought as Yuki threw himself onto her, hugging her as if checking to see she was really there. She was, but he soon realized something was wrong. This couldn't be. She was a girl after all. After tightly squeezing her, he slowly withdrew. His eyes were now downcast, and he smiled a sad smile.

"I didn't transform," he said, "I must have dreamed this up."

"What?" Usagi was surprised by this sudden statement. Then the same realization that had come to Yuki only moments before registered in her mind as well.

"No, Yuki…" Usagi didn't know why Yuki hadn't transformed when he hugged her, but he looked so sad. And well, of course, she couldn't be a dream, if she was even thinking all these things. More importantly, she had to convince him that this wasn't a dream, because as bad as the situation was, it wasn't a dream and she didn't want anymore lies. She'd lied for the past six years.

But, before she could tell Yuki anything, he was speaking again.

"It's just a dream, but," He whispered, "I don't want to wake up…"

Review, please.


	6. SIDE STORY

Sorry for lack of updates. Really, I've no excuse. I know where this is going, yet, I don't think it was be climactic enough, I'm really bad at the main action of the story. Sigh.

So, some side stories will be in here. I think they become important in the sequel to this fic. And, I think they better give the sense of how time is passing. After making the introduction while they were all young kids, I need to transition into Kyo, Yuki, and Usagi's older years. Right before Usagi meets Luna – a few years before Kyo and Yuki meet Tohru.

((Btw, my style was a bit off while writing this. I don't really get it. Yes, this is a side story, mostly. Yes, this is a filler.))

* * *

From then on, she had visited the main Sohma house more often. Her friendly, cheerful face became well known among the household members. Of course, it was always "an errand" she was running, and she was trained very well to make sure to avoid her birth mother. 

With her presence, Yuki had grown stronger. He had never before been able to rely on someone trust someone. For all Akito spoke of loving the young reincarnation of the mouse, Yuki could only love Usagi. He snuck out when he could; she snuck in when he couldn't. And, she always had something new to say, a new story to tell about the moon, a new game she played with her friends.

For her part, Usagi felt a little deceitful for lying to Yuki for she did not always visit him first when wandering around the vast Sohma estate. Sometimes, a feeling inside would guide her to a secluded area, separate – it seemed – from the rest of the household. It was a cold place, and she was slightly fearful of the atmosphere it contained. Yet, she knew she was following her heart, and that would never lead her wrong. And, of course, then, she would always come upon Kyo, who immediately put her at ease, despite the emptiness of the area.

For years, life went on like this – Usagi using all her free time to visit Kyo and Yuki. If Usagi ever felt deceitful for never telling one about her visits to the other, she calmed herself by knowing she was simply waiting for the right time. Usagi knew that it was her duty to make amends between the two possessed Jyunishi.

With such trips, however, it was only a matter of time until she met the other possessed.

Side Story from a Rainy Day…

Momiji:

He loved the scent of candy – overbearing saturnine smell that simply quivered the nose and salivated the mouth. The basic pleasure of a lollipop or chocolate bar was enough to overwhelm the senses, if but for a moment, enough to make him forget the ache of the everyday life as one of the cursed.

It was his habit, to sit on rainy days, a cherry sucker tucked into the pocket of his cheeks. From Hatori's back porch, he would watch the drops fall, patting onto the leaves as if mimicking friendly conversation.

It was on such a rainy day, during such a time, that Momiji met Usagi. (Both would later laugh that it was his Jyuunishi power that had attracted her to him.) She had rustled through many bushes, blindly seeking shelter from the rain. However, once she had come upon Momiji, she had stopped, stunned for a second.

Both had eyed the other tentatively, blushing for the curiosity of children before she offered that wide and honest smile that was signature of her charm. That insatiable hunger that was also indefinitely part of her character overcame timidity as she extended a friendly hand forward in greeting as she quickly queried for a share of the sweets. And that was it, really. Both of them shared a love for sweetness, and both of them had sweetness inside of them.

After that day, it became his habit, to sit on rainy days, a cherry sucker tucked into the pocket of his cheeks, a blonde and cheerful companion at his side. Rainy days after that one lost their wistfulness. From Hatori's back porch, he would watch rain drops fall, patting onto leaves as if mimicking his friendly conversation with Usagi.

If Momiji had somewhat withdrawn before from losing his mother, he now grew lighter and more cheerful in reflection of the time he spent with Usagi. For sure, all days were not always good days. But even the worst ones felt better with a reassuring pat on the back and the knowledge that there existed someone who truly cared for his existence. Rainy days became his favorite days from then on, for she would always make a point to visit him then. It was enough to overwhelm the senses, if but for a moment, enough to make him forget the ache of the everyday life as one of the cursed.

* * *

Short, yes…and I don't know if you detected it, but somewhat awkward..? I truly am sorry and I'm trying to push myself to update. But I can't seem to fall intot he pace I had before, and I feel like pace is key to this story. Sighhhhh. I will keep trying. 

It doesn't help that I finished FB and found the ending pretty disappointing...On the other hand, it does help if I get reviews.


	7. Chapter 7

"She won't stop following me! Make her go away!"

Ayame stomped over and wrapped his arms around Shigure. Hatori didn't even look up from the book he was reading, but Shigure sniggered.

"That's what you get for flirting too much."

Ayame cocked his head sideways in a rather confused manner.

Shigure let out a rather dog-like sniff and looked around, "So where is she?"

"Ohayo."

Shigure promptly dropped his gaze from eye level, and finally noticed the girl Ayame had been referring to. A twelve year old girl with golden hair in buns and streamer angled her gaze upwards to meet his eyes.

"Well, I mean she is _cute_. But I hadn't thought she'd be quite your type," Shigure quipped.

In response, Ayame buried his face in Shigure's shoulder and began wailing, "She followed me at work, then on the way back, and all the way to the house!"

At this point, Hatori finally looked up from his book.

"Ah, Usagi-chan."

"Ha-chan!" was the delight response.

"Ha?" Shigure began.

"Chan?" Ayame finished.

"Hm, she's Momiji's friend, so she visits our place every once in a while. Her mother's part of the branch family, so she's allowed into the Souma household. I'm surprised you don't know her already, she's been hanging around a lot lately."

As Hatori spoke, Usagi bounced over to his side of the room. Sitting, his shoulder was perfectly her short height, so she pressed a cheek against his shoulder. Though the three young men in the room didn't know this at the time, this was her way of showing affection for the Jyuunishi she could not hug. Hatori barely registered the action. When she came over to play with Momiji, the two children did things like this a lot. He'd gotten used to it.

"But why are you following Ayame, Usagi-chan?"

"Hm hm hm." The girl mused for a bit. "Well, I have a secret to tell Ayame onii-chan."

"Who said you could call me that?" Hatori frowned a bit at the thought too. He'd begun to think of the girl as somewhat of a younger sister. It was a bit immature to dislike the thought of sharing, but the idea irked him nonetheless.

"Ne ne, don't you want to know?" The young girl wheedled.

"Absolutely not!"

"Really? It's a very good secret, but if you don't want to, then I guess you'll never know then. Well, bye then!" And that easily, the girl bounced off.

*****

"Oh you should have seen his face, Yuki!" Usagi giggled. She'd snuck over to see Yuki again. It was late at night, and she'd have to leave early in the morning to avoid being caught, but it was worth it.

"Well, you did follow him all day. You exaggerated my advice. And then to leave so easily…But after dangling that last bit about a secret in front of him. I'm sure he'll try and find you now." Yuki, despite his weariness, managed a response and a smile.

"Ayame-onii-chan is exactly as you described him and more. But I think he's just caught up with his own silly thoughts sometimes. You shouldn't worry about him brushing you off, he's a bit selfish like that, Yuki." Usagi continued.

Yuki only nodded quietly in response, and Usagi knew she'd broached the topic too early. She had to cheer up her twin brother, so she shifted the topic in a different direction.

"Following him all day was hilarious though," Usagi flipped her hair over her should in an imitation of Ayame, "Oh no! How could the beautiful me have split ends? He actually talks like that in public you know."

Yuki chuckled with Usagi, but gradually grew quiet again. Usagi couldn't think of anything else to try and her heart sank.

He wasn't doing so well these days, and Usagi was doing her best to cheer him up. She was currently trying to restore a good relationship between her two older brothers, hoping that would cheer Yuki up. She'd had a small success recently when she'd patched things up between Hatsuharu and him, encouraging the young cow Jyuunishi to just talk his feelings out with Yuki. But Akito's relentless control over Yuki was wearing the boy thin. This time, he'd been locked up by Akito for a week, and it had only been two days from his release from the dark cage.

"Don't worry, Yuki," Usagi comforted, and she moved over to hug him, something she knew always made him feel better. "I'm here."

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Usagi," Yuki breathed into her embrace, and pulled her tightly towards him. "Don't ever leave me."

"Of course not." Usagi's eyes pricked with tears.

*****

"You seem tired lately."

Usagi shook her head, and realized she had been tuning out what Kyo was saying.

"Sorry," she apologized, "A lot on my mind. My brother is worrying me."

"Shingo seemed fine last I saw him."

Usagi smiled weakly.

"I was just saying that it seems like everyone knows you lately," Kyo commented and began ticking off his fingers, "Well, it makes sense you'd get along with Momji, and that's how you know Hatori, which gets you Shigure and Ayame. But Hatsuharu too? That one's just crazy."

"You forgot Hiiro and Kisa. They're adorable!" Usagi laughed. She'd just met them through Hatsuharu, and Hiiro reminded her a bit of Kyo.

"Geeze." Kyo puckered his mouth sideways the way he did when he was slightly annoyed.

"Aww, you're just jealous," Usagi joked, batting her eyelashes.

Surprised, Kyo turned red and looked down at the floor. Maybe she was right. Silence expanded, and this was something unusual for the pair of friends who could never stop chatting. Usagi looked at him inquisitively.

"Hey, you know Kyo, I just like meeting the Jyuunishi because they remind me of you . But you were my first friend. And you're my best friend, so don't worry, nothing's ever gonna replace you," Usagi comforted with a smile.

Something about Usagi's words didn't put Kyo quite at ease, and his stomach twisted into a knot at the phrase "best friend". Usagi was looking at him expectantly, and he knew he had to reply. But he could only think of how pretty she looked sitting there next to him with her wide ocean eyes. Her hand had somehow gotten on his, and the fingers had even intertwined slightly. Kyo choked a little as he began to speak.

"You know, I-"

"Ouch!"

Kyo looked up to see the reincarnation of the snake grabbing Usagi's hair, a stream in each hand, in a way that really made the young girl look like a rabbit.

"You little brat," Ayame exclaimed and released her hair, "You're gonna tell me right now what your silly little secret is, it's been tormenting me for days."

Usagi's eyes lit up in recognition, and she eyed Kyo a message. Kyo had known Usagi long enough to tell from the situation that she'd just played a small joke recently, and he understood the "tell you about it later" look she gave him.

"Oh, I can't tell you anymore. It would probably get me in so much trouble, and I really ought to be heading home," Usagi teased patting dust off her skirt, "Bye!"

She began to run off, and Ayame turned to Kyo.

"It's an –uhm- really juicy secret," said Kyo, knowing Usagi probably wanted him to go along with it.

Ayame's initial silence made Kyo believe he hadn't bought the lie, but the snake soon exploded into a chase after the girl.

"Come back you little brat!"


End file.
